Carbonating and dispensing receptacle for liquids



United States Patent 3,517,932 CARBONATING AND DISPENSING RECEPTACLE FORLIQUIDS Dorothy G. Clinkscales, 3315 Rosewell Road, Atlanta, Ga. 30305Filed June 19, 1968, Ser. No. 738,230 Int. Cl. B65d 83/00 U.S. Cl.222-399 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A liquid carbonating anddispensing device provided with a capsule of compressed gas and apiercing device movably associated therewith. The device is mounteddirectly within a liquid containing receptacle provided with a manuallycontrolled discharge nozzle.

The present invention generally appertains to improvements inreceptacles for dispensing liquids and more particularly relates tonovel improvements in containers or receptacles for carbonating anddispensing liquids, such as beverages and carbonated water for humanconsumption.

Receptacles for such liquids are known, wherein the receptacles haveremovable closures which support, in a very cumbersome and mechanicallycomplicated manner, an externally disposed apparatus for effectingcarbonation of liquids in the container. Such apparatus, which are verycomplicated, from a mechanical fabrication, maintenance and operationalstandpoint, have their major portions positioned externally of thereceptacle, thereby interfering with the facile transportation of thereceptacle and having a deleterious effect upon the overall externalappearance of the receptacle from an aesthetic viewpoint. Furthermore,such known receptacles include very complicated valve dispensing meanswhich detract from simplicity of construction and operation so that suchreceptacles do not possess a domestic simplicity, enabling a consumer tohave and use one as an ordinary household item.

An important object of the present invention is to overcome theforegoing and other drawbacks, attendant with known receptacles orcontainers of this type, by providing a simply, compactly and sturdilyconstructed receptacle which has a carbonation means entirely disposedwithin the interior thereof and operable by a simple operating member,which is unobtrusively positioned externally of the receptacle.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide areceptacle for dispensing carbonated liquids which includes a verysimple dispensing means that is constructed in a compact manner and ofan extremely limited number of operating components and which: is highlyeffective but easily operable.

A still further important object of the present invention is to providea carbon dioxide pressure capsule, as a source of high pressure gas, andto provide a carrier means for supporting the capsule entirely withinthe interior of a receptacle and for supporting it in such a way that,at the volition of a user, the capsule can be pierced whereby the gascontents thereof can be dispersed entirely, evenly and thoroughlythrough the liquid in the receptacle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a carrierassembly for supporting the gas capsule entirely within the receptacleand for holding it in a position for potential piercing or opening bypiercing means, the piercing means and capsule being moved into piercingassociation or engagement by virtue of the operation of a simplemanually depressable member, which is disposed externally of thereceptacle and which is the sole component of the capsule carrier meansthat is so exposed externally of the receptacle, such member beingrelated, with respect 3,517,932 Patented June 30, 1970 to the externalappearance of the receptacle, so that it is hardly noticeable.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide anextremely uncomplicated and simple dispensing means, which is in theform of an external spigot assembly on the receptacle and which,otherwise, includes passageways disposed internally of the receptacleand having the flow of liquid therethrough controlled by a simple valvemeans.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide acompact arrangement of the spigot and the capsule carrier, which areorientated on a closure member for the mouth of the receptacle in such away that they add to the external appearance of the receptacle.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a veryinexpensive, simply constructed and oper- I ated carbonating anddispensing receptacle, which, though because of its simplicity, from afabrication, operational and external visual standpoint, is primarilydesigned for domestic use, nonetheless, can be adapted for carbonatingand dispensing use in association with any type of receptacle orcontainer.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a receptacle, constructed in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view, illustrating in detail thecarbonating and dispensing means of the present invention; and,

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially on line 33 ofFIG. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, thecarbonating and dispensing device 10, which is provided for liquids,particularly beverages and carbonated water, includes a container orreceptacle 12.

The receptacle 12 is formed with a rigidified annular or cylindricalside wall 14 and a flat bottom wall 16 and has an inwardly extendingneck portion 18, which terminates in a mouth portion 20.

The bottom wall or base 16 is formed with a central well 22, the purposeof which is to increase the volume capacity of the receptacle and alsoto permit all of the liquid in the receptacle to be dischargedtherefrom.

Apart from such functional purposes of the Well, the well serves astructural advantage, in that it is seated in a spherical opening 24formed in a frustoconical solid base 26. The base is preferably made ofhard plastic and serves to support the receptacle in a balancedposition, with the well seated in the spherical opening 24 and the base16 resting on the flat top wall of the base member 26. Thus, thereceptacle is supported in a secure and balanced vertical position.

The mouth portion 20, which is defined by the inturned edge of the neckportion 18, has a threaded inner wall 28, which is adapted to receive aclosure member 30, which defines a closure wall for the receptacle. Theclosure member 30 is formed with an exteriorly threaded edge 32, whichis threaded into the threaded wall 28, the fit being such that theclosure member 30 is sealingly and tightly fitted in the mouth 20 so asto close oil the open mouth 20 of the receptacle and constitute an airand liquid tight closure wall for the receptacle.

The closure member 30 further serves as a support or a carrier means 34for a capsule 36, containing the gas, such as CO for charging orcarbonating the liquid in the receptacle or container 12. The carriermeans 34 is disposed entirely within the interior of the receptacle 12and is mounted therein by virtue of a cap member 38.

June so, 1970 D. G. CLINKSCALES CARBONATING AND DISPENSING RECEPTACLEFOR LIQUIDS Filed June 19. 1968 Dorothy 6. C/in/rsca/es l6 INVENTOR.

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tridge, follower means engaging the cartridge in opposed relation to thepiercing member, and actuating means engaged with said follower meansand adjustably associated with the carrier means for moving the followermeans and cartridge toward the piercing member, said actuating means andfollower means being retractable in relation to the piercing member toenable replacement of the cartridge, said actuating means terminatingabove the closure member for operation of actuating means from a pointabove the closure member, said carrier meansbeing in directcommunication with the interior of the container to discharge gas intothe container when the cartridge is pierced, said dispensing spigotbeing mounted on the closure member and including a tube depending fromthe closure member alongside of the carrier means and terminating in aninlet end below the bottom of the carrier means and adjacent the bottomof the container, said dispensing valve means including an actuatinghandle adjacent the actuating means for the cartridge follower means,said spigot, tube, dispensing valve means, carrier means, cartridge,piercing member, follower means, and actuating means being removablefrom the container with the closure member to provide unimpeded accessto the interior of the container for easier cleaning and replenishingthe supply of liquid therein and, wherein said carrier means includes acap member removably mounted on the closure member, guide rods dependingfrom the underside of the cap member, and a fixed block secured to thelower ends of the guide rods and supporting them in association with thecap member, and said piercing member upstanding from the block.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said carrier means further includesvertically spaced apart cradle plates slidably mounted on the rods andbetween which the cartridge is held, the upper of said plates formingsaid follower means engaging the cartridge.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein the lower of said cradle plates hasan opening through which the cartridge projects with the rupturable sealpositioned to be engaged by the piercing member.

4. The invention of claim 3 including means normally retaining thecartridge and the piercing member out of engagement, said meansincluding spring means on said rods and bearing between the block andthe lower of said cradle plates.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein the upper cradle plate is connectedto and actuated by the actuating means, said actuating means including aplunger threaded through the cap member and attached to the upper cradleplate.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein said valve means includes a valveseat in the tube adjacent its juncture with the closure member, abulbous resilient valve seated in said valve seat and held therein bythe pressure of the liquid in the container.

7. The invention of claim 6, wherein said valve actuating handleincludes a slidable plunger rod connected to the valve and slidablethrough the closure member and disposed alongside the actuating meansfor moving the cartridge toward the piercing member.

8. The invention of claim 7, wherein said container has a base formedwith a depending center well in which the tube terminates to assuredischarge of all of the liquid.

9. The invention of claim 1, wherein said dispensing spigot is in theform of a rigid tubular member extending laterally outwardly anddownwardly for association with a hand held receptacle, said actuatinghandle for the dispensing valve means being disposed above the actuatingmeans for moving the cartridge towards the piercing member to enablemanual discrimination between the actuating handle and actuating means,said spigot and discharge valve means being disposed adjacent theperiphery of the closure member with the terminal end of the tubularmember defining the spigot being disposed laterally outwardly of theperiphery of the closure member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,921,452 8/1933 Brorander 22252,592,029 4/1952 Hansen 169-31 2,730,093 1/1956 Neely 239-309 X2,738,020 3/1956 Allen 16931 3,006,515 10/1961 Midnight 222-399 X3,373,907 3/1968 Batrow 222-399 ROBERT P. REEVES, Primary Examiner N. L.STACK, 1a., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

